Ask the Doc: Dealing with childhood obesity

Fat Facts

By Brianna Snyder/HealthyLife

Today’s much-discussed childhood obesity epidemic has many scapegoats. Videogames. Fast food. High-fructose corn syrup. Growth hormones. Any — and all of them, depending on which study you’re reading — are responsible for the fact that 1 in 3 American children between the ages of 2 and 19 are overweight or obese (meaning they’re in the 85th percentile of the growth chart), according to the American Heart Association. And 70 percent of overweight and obese kids grow up to be overweight and obese adults.

Dr. Abigail Watson specializes in childhood obesity at the Albany Medical Center’s General Pediatric Group, where she primarily sees overweight and obese patients. She will be among the panelists at the free HealthyLife seminar Feed Me Right!, to be held Oct. 2 at the Desmond Hotel and Conference Center (see below for details.)

The obvious challenge for parents (and doctors) of heavy children is putting children on a “diet.” Just as adults feel remorse and shame, restricted and punished over the idea of dieting, so, too, do children.

The first step is focusing on lifestyle rather than a specific diet. “What I really try to do with families is not put the children on some sort of crash diet,” Watson says. “I don’t focus on what they need to lose in cutting out this and cutting out that and restricting to this many calories. That’s not really helpful, especially for kids. I give them the information they need to try to build a healthy lifestyle for the rest of their lives.”

Watson has seen children as young as 4 come in for weight management, which, the doctor says, can be frightening but also hopeful. “You have that much more time to get them on the right track,” she says.

The key to avoiding these issues — and Watson notes that some parents can’t tell if their kids are actually overweight — is to start early with good eating habits. Changing the snacking routine of a young teenager is always tougher than helping a toddler make better choices.

A good place to start is with liquids. One of the common parenting misconceptions is that young children need or should have juice, Watson says, noting that most juice is high in sugar. Really, children just need water. “Simple little things like that make a difference,” she says.

Regular exercise is important to start early as well. Making sure your kids get outside to play and that they eat fresh fruits and vegetables instead of prepackaged or fast foods are other good steps to take, Watson says.

“It’s not supposed to be a restricted lifestyle,” she says. “There’s going to be parties and holidays and you’re going to have treats. My goal is to help (kids) find a healthier lifestyle.”

TOP THREE TIPS to prevent childhood obesity

Start at a young age. “If you wait until they’re 13 or 15” to try to implement healthful living, “they’re going to fight it,” Dr. Abigail Watson says.

Exercise without exercising. “It doesn’t have to be taking them to the gym,” the doctor says. “But when they get home from school, send them outside to play for an hour and then come in to eat dinner and do homework.”

Stay away from sugary drinks. “Juice, soda, sports drinks like Gatorade or the Brisk iced teas … if you drink even two or three of those a day, that’s like 400 extra calories you don’t need. They say if you eat 100 extra calories a day beyond what you need, it amounts to a 10-pound weight gain a year. It really adds up.”

Join Albany Med experts, Dr. Jennifer Lindstrom and Dr. Abigail Watson, as they discuss what you can do to help your children get active, eat healthy and make smart choices that will follow them into adulthood. The seminar is free but pre-registration is required. All registrants will be automatically entered to win a girls’ getaway from the Cranwell Resort and Spa in Lenox, Mass. To register, click here.